1. Field of the Invention
My present invention relates to physical conditioning apparatus, and more particularly to physical conditioning apparatus for improving the tonus of the rectus abdominis muscles and related muscular and neuronal structures of the human body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Physical conditioning apparatus which may have some effect on the rectus abdominis muscles, etc., are well known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,255, issued on Aug. 8, 1992, to Phillip A. Sollami, discloses an exercise machine including a hydraulic torque resistance device having a rotor which is so connected to a pair of vertically movable pedals that simultaneously with the downward movement of one pedal the other pedal moves upward. More specifically, the force required to move the pedals up and down is constant throughout the entire range of pedal movement. The torque resistance device may be of any suitable construction wherein rotation of a shaft is resisted by a constant torque throughout its range of angular movement. An important feature of the exercise machine of Sollami is the fact that irrespective of the direction of movement of the pedals the force required to pivot the shaft 40 is constant throughout its entire stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,081, issued to Gregory M. Webb on Apr. 21, 1992, discloses a leg exercise machine which includes a frame having a seat connected thereto for supporting a user in a seated position thereon. A single foot engaging member is adapted for engaging both feet of the user and receiving the sum of the forces applied by the user's legs. The single foot engaging member is movably mounted on the frame of the device by a four-bar linkage which includes first and second lever arms pivotably mounted on the frame. The second lever arm is operatively connected to a weight stack for transmitting the pivotal back-and-forth movement of the leg engaging member to movement of the weight stack to thereby exercise the legs of a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,072, issued to Richard J. DeCloux on Oct. 16, 1984, discloses a bimodal exercise device which simulates the exercise obtained in either of two modes of bicycling, e.g., sit-down, normal pedaling and stand-up hill climbing pedaling. Two different systems are disclosed, both yielding the desired bimodal choice of exercise. In both systems the "down" pedal is effectively braked or stopped to provide a step-up platform to provide for body listing in the "stand-up" mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,714, issued to Lloyd J. Lambert, Jr. on Apr. 17, 1979, discloses a seated weight-lifting leg press exercise machine comprising a seat which is adjustable on a trackway, a pair of foot platforms associated near the seat to allow one's feet to be placed thereon, a pivotal bar connecting these foot pedals so that horizontal displacement of one extremity of this pivot bar not only swings about an arc caused by the pivot, but is also connected at the extremity remote from the pivot with a linkage which indirectly lifts a pre-selected magnitude of weights. When the pedals are displaced in a horizontal sense, the linkage follows and retracts with this motion, and exercise work is done against the weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,511, issued to De Wayne Zinkin on Sep. 18, 1973, discloses a device for exercising the muscles of the legs, which simulates the striding movement which occurs during actual running. A body support frame is provided having a pair of foot-engaging pendulum arms mounted thereon for movement through predetermined arcuate paths of travel with an adjustable friction developing mechanism being operatively associated with an arcuate sector to offer resistance to movements of the arms. The device offers substantially a constant resisted force throughout the entire range of thrust movement during the extension of a user's leg and provides substantially unrestricted leg movement in the opposite direction during the retraction of a user's leg.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,282, issued to Harold Zinkin on Jul. 3, 1973, discloses an improved weight training device particularly adapted for exercise of the lower limbs, which device includes a weight stack, a seat facing away from the weight stack but adjacent thereto and a movable set of foot pedals disposed adjacent the seat on the side thereof opposite the weight stack. The pedals and weight stack are interconnected so that movement of the pedals away from the device raises the weight stack, i.e., the extension of the user's legs raises the weight stack against the resistance provided by the weight stack.
In using the device of Harold Zinkin the exerciser places his feet on the pedals and begins the exercise by pushing his feet away from him and against the force exerted by the pinned weights.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,108, issued to Clarence S. Hanke, on Nov. 26, 1963, discloses exercising apparatus with crankshaft-operable selectively by foot pedals or hand levers. The apparatus of Hanke includes a substantially rectangular open frame supported in an elevated position by a plurality of legs, the frame including a pair of side members and cross members. One cross member, disposed intermediate the ends of the frame, constitutes a seat for accommodating a user, the user being disposed in a reclining position with his back resting on a backrest. A crankshaft extends transversely of the frame in spaced relation to the seat and is rotatably journaled in suitable bushings or bearings provided in the side members and also in a central frame reenforcing member. The crankshaft has two throws spaced 180 degrees apart and having mounted thereon a pair of foot pedals. Each of these pedals includes a base or sole plate, a heel rest and an open toe cap. Each pedal is pivotably mounted on an associated throw of the crankshaft. Means are provided for introducing a variable resistance to rotation of the crankshaft so as to progressively train the patient in the strengthening of his muscles. These means comprise adjustable weights connected to cords or cables which pass over a pair of pulleys at the underside of a crossbar of a suitable supporting structure or framework, which crossbar may be either separate from the main frame or structurally joined to it. The cables are connected to eyes which are part of the foot pedals. Although the arrangement is such that during rotation of the crankshaft the cables cause one of the weights to rise while the other weight falls, the effective mass of the two weights may be individually varied so that either is heavier than the other, thus offering a greater resistance to rotation of the crank shaft by either foot.
It is believed that the documents listed immediately below contain information which is or might be considered to be material to the examination of this patent application.
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor ______________________________________ 3,572,699 H. Nies 4,519,603 R. DeCloux 4,563,003 F. Bugallo et al. 4,842,269 G. Huang 4,878,663 M. Luquette 4,955,599 G. Bersonnet et al. 4,982,955 R. Heasley 5,016,871 W. Dalebout et al. 5,102,121 H. Solow et al. ______________________________________
Report of international patent database search for physical conditioning apparatus having pedals which are attached to the user's feet or shoes, and which resist the pedaling effort of the user only on the upward or contractile stroke (40 pages).
It is to be understood that the term "prior art" as used herein or in any statement made by or on behalf of applicant means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferentially, a date which is earlier than the effective filing date hereof.
No representation or admission is made that any of the above-listed documents is part of the prior art, or that no more pertinent information exists.
A copy of each of the documents referred to hereinabove is supplied to the Patent and Trademark Office herewith.